Ukrainian Deputy Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer Viktor Liashko says all those who wish will be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late 2021.
"I have calculated and I am telling you officially now: we will vaccinate all those who wish in 2021. With two doses. The main thing is that there are no disruptions, global cataclysms in the supply of vaccines. Five million shots may be administered per month – there is a method of cascades," he told Ukraina 24 TV channel.
According to Liashko, this time the vaccination will be different from any other campaigns.
"You are all talking about a higher pace, I am responsible for the absence of systematic faults. I have seen disrupted immunization campaigns in this country – in 2008, 2015, 2018. The COVID campaign has been launched and it will be brought to its logical conclusion. I guarantee this as chief medical officer," he said.
Read alsoCOVID in Ukraine: Zelensky names conditions for returning to normalcyVaccination in Ukraine
- On February 22, 2021, the Ukrainian Health Ministry registered the Oxford/AstraZeneca (Covishield) COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
- The vaccine was developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and authorized by the UK, the European Union, and India.
- On February 23, 2021, the first batch of the Covishield vaccine arrived in Ukraine.
- On February 24, 2021, Ukraine launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. About 160 healthcare workers were first who got vaccinated, as well as members of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas.
- On March 1, 2021, Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov had had his COVID-19 vaccine shot, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was vaccinated against COVID-19 during a trip to the Donbas warzone on March 2.
- According to the Health Ministry, elderly people are next to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ukraine.
